Come Fly with Us!: A Global History of the Airline Hostess

by Johanna Omelia and Michael Waldock

Book Overview

The history of flight attendants, their tasks, attire, mystique, and eventual legal rights are told in this slightly oversized (9.25x11) volume. Much of the book is filled with historic advertisements... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1888054611
• ISBN13: 9781888054613
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Collectors Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 2.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 9.5" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

An enjoyable, quick read and very enlightening! A very well written history of flight attendents wit

This book really opened my eyes to the way female flight attendants (and, much more recently, male flight attendants) have been treated, used and promoted by the airline industry. This review may seem like I'm giving away the entire story told in this book; but there's so much additional information that you'll read in this book that this review is really just an appetizer! I honestly found this book to be completely gripping and very well presented. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it! SMILES The book starts with stories and photos of the first flight attendants. Of all things, these women were nurses enabled to assist jittery customers on board the aircraft. In the very early days of commercial flight, airline flight attendants were expected to do everything from serve a meal to touch up the paint job of the airplane during stopovers! The book uses a very well written text supplemented by countless photographs and advertisement reproductions to demonstrate how airlines used flight attendants to lure customers and make money. It's sad that over the course of history the airline industry imposed such rules as forbidding airline attendants to become married while working for the airlines. In later years, female stewardesses were taken advantage of by airlines who forced them to wear skimpy paper dresses to attract male customers. On the other hand, it was great to read about flight attendants becoming more empowered by government as the decades passed. Again, a very strong point about this book is the terrific photos of flight attendants and the faithful reproductions of advertisements used by the airlines to increase business. These are fascinating to look at and enjoy over and over again. Overall, this is an excellent account of what went on "behind the scenes" at airline companies as they employed flight attendants throughout the decades. The last chapter of the book discusses in brief where the role of the flight attendant is going as airlines get larger airplanes and face new challenges in a post-September 11 world. Kudos to Johanna Omelia and Michael Waldock for providing us with a great account of the history of the airline hostess and host! I highly recommend this book for persons who are interested in not just the history of flight but how people's lives were changed by the airline industry as well. This book is a great read and the photos will "wow" you! SMILES

Quality book! ...

I bought this book as a Mother's Day gift for my mother who was a flight attendent in the 1950's.She was absolutely astounded with it as it has top quality pictures and the lay-out of the book is just top shelf.Lot's of enjoyment with this book for our whole family!...

Fun and Fresh and VERY Informative

The past couple of years have really done a lot for those who are interested in aviation history, particularly commercial flight. Vanity Fair magazine published two articles, one of which was excerpted from Mary Wells' "A Big Life In Advertising," which details how she helped transform stodgy Braniff Airlines into a delight of color and design, with stewardesses dressed by Pucci. These articles obviously whetted the interest of many, which is why "Come Fly With Us: A Global History of the Airline Hostess" is so timely. Forget "Coffee, Tea or Me" -- this is the true story of airline hostesses, chock-full of amazing historical photos garnered from the vaults of airlines such as Quantas, Pan Am, TAP and TWA, to name a few (and aren't a couple of those out of business?). The text provides interesting historical facts (airline hostesses did far more than serve coffee and pass out blankets; at one point, they were registered nurses!) and is a great read, whether you're a frequent flier or a "trains-only, please" traveler. In fact, I plan on bringing it on my next flight in hopes of being upgraded, as I'm sure any current airline hostess or host familiar with this book will be pleased to cater to me even more!

If You've Got It--Flaunt It! This book does.

The authors of this book have done a wonderful service to the aviation industry. As a former flight attendant for Braniff, I have to say this book captures the aviation heartbeat of each of the five decades of flying I have had the pleasure of experiencing. The authors' words have so crisply and concisely described every aspect of the evolution of the flight attendant's job, attitude, and environment--plus, the selection of pictures is fantastic. Each time you pick up the book you will find something new to appreciate and enjoy.

Should Fly Out of Bookstores!

Fantastic photos, fascinating history...a really important edition to the history of the hard-working woman; I'm buying one for my daughter and each of my nieces...not only fact-filled but a really fun read!